Research Interests

Understanding the mechanisms by which arsenic causes developmental toxicity

Determining how ATP-dependent transport proteins alter the metabolism, disposition, and elimination of drugs and toxicants

Research
in my laboratory focuses on the mechanisms by which cells respond to toxicants,
such as arsenic, chromium, and pharmaceuticals.

The
first project investigates how arsenic delays cellular and organismal
differentiation and development. Arsenic is a contaminant in drinking
water in many parts of the world, and has been found at appreciable levels in
rice and juices. Arsenic readily crosses the placental barrier and exposure
is correlated with adverse developmental outcomes such as stillbirths,
spontaneous abortions, neonatal mortality, low birth weight, delays in the use
of musculature, and altered neuronal function. We are examining arsenic’s
effects on development and cellular differentiation in both cell lines and fish
embryos using microarrays, qPCR, and immunohistochemical techniques.

The
second project examines ATP-dependent transport proteins, specifically Mrp1 and
Mrp2, which are involved in the elimination of compounds from the liver,
kidney, and intestine. This active elimination lowers both the concentration
and the toxicity of the compound to the organism. We are examining how these
transporters are regulated, what their normal physiological roles are,
elucidating toxicants that may interfere with these protein pumps, and whether
co-regulation exists between phase I and phase II enzyme systems and
transporters.